Indicating support for fire extinguishers



Feb. 23, 1954 M. HANSSON INDICATING SUPPORT FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Filed June 23, 1952 INVENTOR. W W BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 23 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICATING SUPPORT FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Malte Hansson, Baldwin Park, Calif. Application June 23, 1952, Serial No. 295,100

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an improved indicating support for fire extinguishers and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means whereby a fire extinguisher or the like can be conveniently supported in a position for immediate use when desired and which will, at the same time, automatically indicate to any observer the condition of the fire extinguisher itself so far as operating efficiency is concerned.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a simple yet efiective means for supporting fire extinguishers at strategic and desired points and in position for ready handling, while at the same time furnishing an accurate gauge of the contents of the extinguisher, whereby if the same needs replenishing, such is immediately apparent.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide in an indicating support for fire extinguishers, a compact structure which can be readily assembled and installed, but which will, at the same time, be so constructed that it will be proof against tampering by saboteurs or other unauthorized persons.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved indicating support for fire extinguishers of this invention, showing the same as containing a conventional extinguisher.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the structure of Figure 1 considerably enlarged and with parts broken away to disclose interior construction.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 5 is a section Figure 2.

As shown in the drawings:

taken on the line 5-5 of The reference numeral I indicates generally a conventional fire extinguisher, particularly one which contains carbon dioxide or some such gas used in extinguishing flames.

The indicating support of this invention includes an outer casing 12, which is more less of a protective cover and shaped as shown. Obviously, the shape of the cover can be varied and the size of the entire structure can be changed to meet any and all requirements.

Inside the cover I2, is a main body portion M, which has integral outwardly flared edges attached to be fastened to a wall or other support by means of screws or the like 22. This main body portion is shaped to conform to the cover I2 and both the cover and the body portion have two sets of aligned openings, one of which is adapted to receive a locking pin or the like 24, which extends through both the parts as shown in Figure 3. This has an opening in the projecting end into which can be fitted a wire with a seal which will insure against tampering.

The other set of aligned openings receive a pivot pin 28 which is fastened into position by means of riveting or some such action. This in turn supports a rocking element 30 for integral bifurcated extensions 32 as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. These extensions are adapted to receive a collar or the like 34, which is fastened about the neck of the extinguisher H1.

The inner end of the rocking element 30 includes side elements and a base portion, the base portion having an opening 35 therein which is fitted toward the rear as best shown in Figure 4. A helical spring 38 is mounted upon the vertical edges of this opening 36 and an adjusting bolt 40 is positioned centrally of the spring.

A washer or the like 42 supermounts the spring and the head of the bolt 40 acts against the upper face of this washer. vThe lower screw threaded end of the bolt 40 is fitted into an internally threaded sleeve 44 which is welded or otherwise afiixed to the bottom 46 of the main body portion M. In this manner, an adjustment of the tension of the spring can be had so far as its action against the inner end of the rocking element 30-42 is concerned.

Integral upward extensions 50 are formed on each side of the rocking element 3032 and the outer faces of each of these are lettered, as best shown at 52 and 54, with indicia reading Empty and Full, all as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. Openings 56 are provided in the outer case l2, whereby the indicia are immediately and readily visible to an observer.

In operation, the spring 38 is so adjusted by means of the screw 40 so that a fire extinguisher, placed on the outer end of the rocking element 30-32, will tension the spring sufficiently to indicate its condition by an according number on the rocking element.

It is a known fact that extinguishers of this type must contain a minimum amount of gas in order to be at top efiiciency and it is also a known fact that leakage of the gas inevitably occurs no matter how tightly the valves are closed. This leakage, of course, will eventually cause the extinguisher to become inoperative and such a fact is not generally known until an emergency arises.

It is required byl'ocal ordnance that periodical inspection of' these extinguishers be had, but even this is difiicult because each extinguisher must be individually weighted in order to determine its operating content and consequent. efliciency.

Furthermore, it is always possible that saboteurs or others may deliberately discharge the contents of fire extinguishers so as to insure damage from a future fire. With the indicating support of this invention in use, the condition. ofany and all fire extinguishers of this type can be immediately ascertained at asingle glance and any tampering with the contents is rendered useless, because the indicator will immediately announce such factr Actualv tampering, with the indicator itself is also immediately evident under very slight scrutiny.

It will. be seen that herein isprovided a simple economical efficient structure for supporting fire extinguishers which. can be readily manufactured, is always in working order, is positively tamper-proof and which will render inspection of the extinguishers" themselves easyand positive- I am aware that many changesmay be made and numerous details ofconstructionvaried throughout. a wide rangewithout departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting thepatent granted hereon otherwise than: asnecessitated by the prior art.

1', claim as my invention:

A-n indicating support for fire extinguishers comprising a box-like body portion having a bottom, a back, two sides and a sloping front, means at the back for fastening the support to a wall, a rocking element pivotally mounted inside the body portion, the pivot means being forwardly of the body, bifurcated projections on the rocking element extending forwardly of the body and outside the same for supporting an extinguisher, indicating plates: forming part of the inner end of the rocking element and adjacent the rear end of the body, said means including a helical spring mounted between the indicating plates, said plates having indicia inscribed thereon, a cover for the body, sealing means for the cover, adjusting means for the tension of the spring, said adjusting means including a screw-threaded bolt mounted in the rocking element, a washer mounted at the top of the spring, said washer having an opening therein for the reception of the bolt, a screw-threaded sleeve at the rear of the body portion for receiving thethreaded end of the bolt, said sleeve mounted centrallyof the spring, the sides of the body having openings therein for viewing the indicia, whereby said indicia continually and automatically indicate the full or empty condition of the fire extinguisher supported on the rocking element and the adjusting means providing for changes in the spring tension to accommodate various" types of extinguisher.

MALTE HANSSON.

References Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,449,397 Hall Mar. 27, 1923 1,879,228 Heigis Sept. 2'7, 1932 2,139,634 Heigis Dec; 6, 1938 2,614,519 Paladino Oct. 21, 1952 

